In light of the recent fires that are threatening homes across California, it is especially crucial to assess your plan in the event of a wildfire. For many areas in California, wildfire “season” lingers year-round. As noted by Nationwide Private Client in a spotlight on exposures, 9,000 wildfires burned 1.2 million acres of land and 10,800 structures in California in 2017, lighting up the most catastrophic year on record for the state.

Some of us remember when phones didn’t have screens and FaceTime meant, well, face time. Others of us are old enough to remember when our phone’s handset was connected to a long, curly cord and you could only walk a few steps before you had to make your way back to your desk. And the rest of us, though we might not want to admit it, remember moving a dial around with our index finger and waiting for the operator to connect us to the other party.

With the passage of time, technology builds on itself, shifting our perceptions, how we do business, and how we communicate with our employees.

According to the Society for Human Resource Management, for the first time in American history, there are five different generations found in the workplace. This poses a unique challenge for today’s employers. How do we effectively meet the communication styles of each generation? You can— and should—leverage technology to communicate across your multi-generational team.

To assist you in determining how to best adapt your communication strategy for your diverse workforce, let’s take a look at each generation, their comfort-level with technology, and their preferred methods of communication.

How do you recruit, retain and motivate top-performing employees in California’s tight labor market?

Faced with stiffer competition for talent, a growing number of employers are adopting a “total rewards” approach to pay that manages compensation, benefits and retirement as a single, integrated program.

The holistic approach of a total rewards strategy breaks down the silos typical in many HR departments. With closer coordination between different HR disciplines, companies can create compelling pay strategies that differentiate themselves in the marketplace. At the same time, HR leaders can address the concerns of Chief Financial Officers, who increasingly want data to justify compensation.

Strong Headwinds

A total rewards strategy makes sense given the three challenges facing employers in the most competitive labor market in nearly a decade.

First, California, like other states, has adopted pay equity laws. Those laws should bring greater equity to the workplace over time, but most immediately, they will impact existing pay structures and go-to-market strategies.

Marsh & McLennan Agency (MMA) is committed to giving back to the community. We’re proud to recognize another year of giving through the work of the Barney & Barney Foundation. Named after our region’s legacy company, the foundation provides grants to deserving local California non-profits seeking to improve and change lives in their communities. Since its inception in 2009, the foundation has awarded nearly $3 million to over 200 nonprofits.

You remember the story of The Tortoise and the Hare. The moral of Aesop’s fable was that slow and steady wins the race. But the truth is, today you have to be fast and steady. You have to be the tortoise AND the hare, not one or the other. Yes, you have to get your idea to market quickly. But you also have to be steady and focused when it comes to protecting your intellectual property (IP).

So what can you do? What are the best practices to protect intellectual property without slowing the development of your idea?

You might be in a hurry but it’s worth it to walk through some basic steps. After all, intellectual property is the core of your business and keeping IP safe from external threats and internal prying eyes is essential to the security of your business.

THREATS FROM OUTSIDE

To protect your IP from outside threats, here are some best practices to put into play:

MMA loves to give back to the community, and we are so glad we have the support of our colleagues, business partners, clients, family, and friends to help us do just that. Never been to RTF or just want to know what’s in store this year?

Professional Employer Organizations (PEOs), which provide outsourced HR services such as payroll, benefits, workers’ compensation and 401(K) administration, can be a terrific option for smaller companies without an in-house Human Resources team. But how do you know whether you’ve outgrown that solution?

For high-growth companies, it’s a critical question. Many firms often stay too long with a PEO when an in-house HR team supported by a full-service business insurance broker can provide more services and ultimately achieve the intended goal: attracting and retaining a high-quality, diverse workforce.

Why Leave a PEO?

As companies grow, their needs change.

To compete in today’s full-employment economy, organizations need a cost-effective HR program customized to their specific needs. Tech companies often have different HR and benefits requirements than life science companies. Likewise, manufacturing firms and nonprofits often require different strategies to compete and win.

Each year, the Barney & Barney Foundation raises funds for local nonprofits through three signature events: Rock the Foundation, Orange County Golf Classic, and Bay Area Golf Classic. This year, colleagues participated in volunteer opportunities with Rob Machado Foundation and Casa de Amparo in San Diego, Orangewood Foundation and Ronald McDonald House in Orange County, and Shelter Inc. in the Bay Area, and gained a greater understanding of how to better serve the communities around us.